The PGA Tour will resume play this week when Colonial Country Club plays host to some of the world’s best golfers for the 77th edition of the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Headlining the annual stop in Fort Worth, Texas will be local favorites Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler, as well as club pro Mike Block, who received an invite after his thrilling performance at Oak Hill.
Scheffler and Spieth will be joined by the likes of Max Homa, Viktor Hovland, Sam Burns, Billy Horschel, and Rickie Fowler, among others.
Known as a shotmaker’s golf course dating back to its opening in 1936, Colonial – the former home to Ben Hogan, more often than not, serves up a winner who is able to creatively craft shots as opposed to long bombers – hence the nickname “Hogan’s Alley.”
Here are some more details to get ready for this week’s PGA Tour stop in Texas.
PGA Tour At-a-Glance
Name: Charles Schwab Challenge
Dates: May 25-28, 2023
Where: Fort Worth, Texas
Course: Colonial Country Club
Distance: Par 70, 7209 yards
Architect: John Bredemus/Perry Maxwell (1936)
Format: 72-holes, stroke play, 36-hole cut
Purse: $8,700,000
Winning Share: $1,566,000
Defending Champion: Sam Burns
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The Charles Schwab Challenge History
Colonial Country Club is permanently tied to this event, but interestingly enough, the course got its professional start as the 1941 U.S. Open venue. The course showed its teeth right away, as the U.S. Open field was outright beat down. The winner of the tournament, Craig Wood, finished at +4. The tournament was so difficult that those at +15 finished in a tie for 10th.
At just over 7,200 yards, Colonial was considered lengthy at the time. Today, it plays as one of the shorter tracks on tour.
In the 1946 inaugural event, known initially by the name of the Colonial National Invitation, Ben Hogan stepped right up and claimed the first title, and then repeated again the next year. He scored five victories overall in this event, including the only back-to-back victories (1952-53). As a result of that success, Colonial is often referred to as “Hogan’s Alley.”
In addition to Hogan, event winners have included legends such as Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Lee Trevino, Ben Crenshaw, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Phil Mickelson, and Jordan Spieth.
Nobody has won more than twice, with the exception of Hogan’s five. Ten players own a pair of titles, with Zach Johnson (2010, 2012) accomplishing it most recently.
As an “invitational,” the Fort Worth event has a more exclusive field than most tournaments (120 golfers this year), and is given more freedom with its invites. The tournament famously has a “Champion’s Choice” invitation, where the previous year’s champion gets to grant two spots to players of their choice who otherwise did not qualify.
A Champion’s Choice has won on just a single occasion, when Dave Stockton took the 1967 title, finishing as the only man in the field under par (-2).
History: Title Sponsors
- Charles Schwab Challenge (2019-Pres)
- Fort Worth Invitational (2018)
- Dean & DeLuca Invitational (2016-17)
- Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial (2007-15)
- Bank of America Colonial (2003-06)
- MasterCard Colonial (1996-02)
- Colonial National Invitation (1995)
- Southwestern Bell Colonial (1989-94)
- Colonial National Invitation (1946-88)
History: Recent Winners
2022: Sam Burns (-9)
2021: Jason Kokrak (-14)
2020: Daniel Berger (-15)
2019: Kevin Na (-13)
2018: Justin Rose (-20)
2017: Kevin Kisner (-10)
2016: Jordan Spieth (-17)
2015: Chris Kirk (-12)
2014: Adam Scott (-9)
2013: Boo Weekley (-14)
2012: Zach Johnson (-12)
2011: David Toms (-15)
History: Records
Scoring:
259 (-21) – Zach Johnson (2010)
History: Wins
5 – Ben Hogan (1946-47, 1952-53, 1959)
2 – Zach Johnson (2010, 2012)
2 – Phil Mickelson (2000, 2008)
2 – Nick Price (1994, 2002)
2 – Corey Pavin (1985, 1996)
2 – Bruce Lietzke (1980, 1992)
2 – Ben Crenshaw (1977, 1990)
2 – Lee Trevino (1976, 1978)
2 – Billy Casper (1964, 1968)
2 – Julius Boros (1960, 1963)
History: Colonial Country Club
Colonial Country Club was started 85 years ago in 1936 by Marvin Leonard, who had a keen interest in bringing bentgrass greens to his hometown of Fort Worth. When his initial plans to install bentgrass greens at an already existing Fort Worth golf club failed, Leonard came up with his vision for Colonial Golf Club. His vision became a reality in January 1936 when the club opened with approximately 100 members.
The golf course at Colonial Country Club was designed by John Bredemus of Texas and Perry Maxwell of Oklahoma. The par-70 course, currently at 7,209 yards, is bordered on the northern edge by the Trinity River (Clear Fork) with the rest of the course surrounded by the neighboring residential area.
The course length in 1941 was 7,035 yards, considerably long for the era.
In the late 1930s, Leonard began talks with the United States Golf Association (USGA) to conduct the U.S. Open at Colonial. After guaranteeing the USGA $25,000, Colonial was granted the rights to the 1941 edition, won by Craig Wood, the winner of that year’s Masters.
In 1942, Leonard decided to sell the club to the members of Colonial. His first attempt to sell to the members was rejected, but he eventually sold the club to the members on December 31, 1942, when it took its current name, Colonial Country Club.
In addition to the annual PGA Tour event, the course has hosted three major or significant professional golf events: the 1941 U.S. Open, the 1975 Tournament Players Championship (won by Al Geiberger), and the 1991 U.S. Women’s Open (won by Meg Mallon).
Look Back: 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge
Sam Burns shot a final-round 65 at Colonial Country Club, and then edged Scottie Scheffler in a playoff to claim victory at the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge.
The then 25-year-old LSU product finished his final day in Fort Worth, Texas with two bogeys against seven birdies, highlighted by six on his front nine, to reach 17-under par. In overtime, Burns drained a 40-foot bomb, just off the green, for a birdie-3. Scheffler, putting from 35 feet, landed his attempt about six inches to the right of the hole.
For his fourth career PGA Tour title, and third of the season, Burns earned $1,512,000 and 500 FedExCup points, along with a Colonial Country Club plaid jacket and 1979 custom-built Schwab Firebird Trans Am. He will move to No. 2 in points and 3rd in money. He also picked up 60 Official World Golf Ranking points and will move to No. 9 (from 10th).
For his second-place finish, Scheffler earned $915,600 and 300 FedExCup points. He also secured 36 world-ranking points and will solidify his stranglehold on the No. 1 position.
2022 Charles Schwab Challenge: Top 10
Pos-Player-To Par (Final Rd)
1. Sam Burns -9 (-5)
2. Scottie Scheffler -9 (+2)*
3. Brendon Todd -8 (+1)
4. Tony Finau -7 (-3)
4. Davis Riley -7 (-1)
4. Scott Stallings -7 (+2)
7. Kevin Na -5 (-1)
7. Jordan Spieth -5 (E)
7. Mito Pereira -5 (+1)
7. Patrick Reed -5 (+2)
7. Cam Davis -5 (+2)
* Lost in a playoff
The Course: Colonial CC
The golf course at Colonial Country Club was designed by John Bredemus of Texas and Perry Maxwell of Oklahoma. The par-70 course stretches to 7,209 yards and is bordered on the northern edge by the Trinity River (Clear Fork) with the rest of the course surrounded by the neighboring residential area.
The course length in 1941 was 7,035 yards, considerably long for the era.
Because of its association with the great Ben Hogan, it is generally considered one of America’s most iconic golf courses.
In addition to the annual PGA Tour event, the course has hosted three major or significant professional golf events: the 1941 U.S. Open, the 1975 Tournament Players Championship (won by Al Geiberger) and the 1991 U.S. Women’s Open (won by Meg Mallon).
The signature holes are Nos. 3, 4 and 5, nicknamed the “Horrible Horseshoe” – a brutally tough three-hole stretch comprised of a 241-yard par-3 sandwiched between two lengthy par-4s.
The fifth hole of the course (which has the Trinity River running alongside the right for nearly the entire length) is often mentioned as one of the best holes in America. It also ends the “Horrible Horseshoe.”
Featured Hole
No.5, Colonial Country Club
Par 4, 481 yards
The most difficult and most iconic hole at Colonial Country Club. The tee shot is to a thin fairway, with a ditch to the left and a river on the right. Even a good tee shot leaves a long, narrow approach to a small green guarded by two big bunkers in the front.
2022 average: 4.302 (toughest)
2021 scores: 29 birdies (7%), 223 pars (59%), 109 bogeys (29%), 14 doubles (4%), 2 triples+ (0%)
The Charles Schwab Challenge Field
Despite being slotted as the first event following the PGA Championship, the field at Colonial is decent, and includes three of the top-10 ranked players in the world, including No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 6 Viktor Hovland and No. 7 Max Homa.
Other top-ranked stars teeing it up this week include former Colonial champions Sam Burns (2022), Justin Rose (2019) and Jordan Spieth (2016). They will be joined by marquee names such as Tony Finau (No. 12), Collin Morikawa (17), Sungjae Im (19), Kurt Kitayama (20), Tommy Fleetwood (23) and Billy Horschel (35).
Several marquee players will enter with something to prove, namely Morikawa, who comes off three straight finishes outside the top-25 while Finau enters off a T72 at the PGA.
Spieth posted a disappointing T29 at last week’s major and before that a missed-cut at the Wells Fargo. The Texan will look to get back on track at a course that most definitely fits his game.
Scheffler, the field’s top-ranked player at world No. 1, enters off a runner-up behind Brooks Koepka at the PGA. On the season, Scheffler owns two wins and three six other top-5 finishes. He has never finished outside the top 15, with a T12 his worst finish.
Hovland also enters in top form, with a trio of top-10 finishes at the season’s three marquee events: T2-PGA, T7-Masters, T3-Players.
Kitayama is a player bringing a mixture of heat and ice into Colonial. The 30-year-old Californian is now ranked No. 20 in the world, after posting a top-5 result at the PGA to go along with a T5 at the Match Play and win at Bay Hill. Amid those top finishes, though, he’s also missed the cut five times. His last eight results are: T4, MC, MC, MC, T5, MC, 1, MC.
Top-5 Betting Favorites
1. Scottie Scheffler (6/1)
2. Viktor Hovland (12/1)
2. Jordan Spieth (12/1)
4. Collin Morikawa (16/1)
5. Max Homa (20/1)
Up Next: The Memorial
The Memorial gets underway next week at Muirfield Village in Ohio with Jack Nicklaus hosting and Billy Horschel defending.
Credits: Joel Cook, PGA Tour Media, Getty Images